Yes that’s what’s so unnerving about it: It’s understandable that the parents are desperate. Here is a man with all the answers and knows how to package it for an American audience of that era.
Very professional, very whizbang, everything looks sharp.
And you see the behavior; the children are all well mannered and behaved and everybody is smiling; they must know _something_ and I want a part of it.
I completely ‘get it’.
And big robust beautiful families; all the answers; somebody “finally” has it all figured out and understands needs.
And of course there’s sacrifice, so ok, obedience is good for the soul and it also takes some of the pressure off because someone else is making the decisions.
The appeal is very understandable..
Even the child rearing; it’s old school behaviorism; more Pavlov dog era than BF Skinner; and if you are a Bible-Only believer, as long as there’s justification in the Bible, with a reasonable sounding connection, you’re good to go.
Devil’s in the details though; and really is.